Leaving the Chamber

He looked into Cassayn's own lovely but troubled face and frowned slightly as he saw her own eyes had become the same color. "So are yours, Cassayn," he said. She, too, looked into the pool and shuddered.

"We have to leave," she said insistently. "I feel like there's some kind of hungry evil here, waiting to devour us..."

"Do you have dragons or other such creatures in your land, Cassayn?"

"No. The Federation of Rhavei is a peaceful land. Our people wiped out all the Anomalies and Abominations in our land milennia ago," she said with a trace of pride.

"Then you do not know any of the ways to destroy these creatures?"

"No. Most of us have heard of dragons and vampires and other such beings, but only ancient historians know how they were killed."

"Cassayn, the first thing to know when facing dark beings such as those who dwell beneath the dragon's shadow is that while you must be careful you must not let yourself be afraid. They grow stronger through your fear and evil. Keeping a pure and brave heart is half of the battle."

"I understand." She drew herself upward, trying to seem brave. While she did not seem very brave, not having come from a land where everyone had to have courage to survive, at least she seemed pure. Fred was never quite sure of his own purity. In fact, he had not been tempted to turn down the mission to the caves on the grounds that he would not be able to resist the pull of any of the more subtle dark magical forces in the caves. Perhaps, he thought as he looked once more upon his eldritch blade, he had been right.

"I would like to leave this chamber as well. I do not feel thirst although it has been some time since I last remember drinking, and I feel uneasy about drinking the waters of this pool, so we have no reason to stay. But I am not sure how to reach the surface. I am not sure if we are in the Southern Caves, the cave in your homeland, or somewhere else entirely. If we leave this chamber, we will have to keep careful track of our progress, that we may retrace our steps."

"I can manage that, Fred," said Cassayn. "I have a very good sense of direction, though I know how easy it is to get lost in dark caves like this."

1. Luckily, there was only one exit from the chamber, so they took it.
2. There were two exits, and they were uncertain which one to take.
3. But there seemed to be no exit from the cave chamber.

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree